ESTABLISHING MINIMUM ENVIRONMENTAL TEST STANDARDS FOR SPACE VEHICLES

摘要

Integration and testing of space hardware traditionally incur a higher percent of total project cost than experienced by other technical systems such as aircraft or missiles. As cost cutting pressures increased with the industry consolidation in the 1990’s, integration and testing became a key area to look for cost reductions. At the same time, many test standards were no longer required by contract in the space development markets. With justification for traditional environmental testing not clear to many managers, the erosion of test practices from proven practices began. Using the Environmental Test Thoroughness Index tool, developed at The Aerospace Corporation, cause and effect studies of ground testing versus on-orbit degrading failures were examined. It can be shown that the complexity of a vehicle is part of the critical understanding of what minimal testing should be established and that, in many cases, this will drive the need for higher compliance to MIL-STD-1540 practices.